One killed in Garden State Parkway crash in Barnegat, NJ

🚨An Infiniti SUV went off the Garden State Parkway and down an embankment

🚨The driver was ejected during the crash

🚨Two children were riding in the back

BARNEGAT — The driver of an SUV died after going off the Garden State Parkway in Barnegat late Thursday afternoon.

State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan said an Infiniti EX35 carrying four people went down an embankment along the southbound lanes near Exit 67 (Route 554) around 5 p.m. and hit several trees before coming to rest at a retaining wall.

The driver, George M. Francis, 34, of the Lanoka Harbor section of Lacey, was ejected from the SUV and pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, passenger Bridget Francis, 34, suffered serious injuries while their two children seated in the rear were not hurt, according to Marchan.

The crash remains under investigation.

Map showing crash scene on the Garden State Parkway (Canva)

A GoFundMe page was created by George's cousin Elaina Francis to help with the family's expenses.

"The funds will be used for the children. They are left without a father & their mother is severely injured. The family could use all the help they can get since their mother will be injured TBD & their father is gone," Elaina wrote.

Two lanes were closed at the crash scene for several hours causing multi-mile delays in southern Ocean County.

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The crash is the fifth fatal crash in Ocean County this year and the third on the Garden State Parkway statewide, according to State Police records.

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